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www.baskinyourthoughtcrime.com
www.tesone.net
This collaboration between long-time friends and graffiti artists Bask and Tes One incorporates retro overtones—images of the lonely business man, a sultry woman—while also showcasing the unique aesthetics of the two Floridians. Both men claim the finished product as one of the best among many shared projects.
“We both have a pretty strong work ethic and are passionate about what we do,” Bask explains. “Even though our styles are very different, the art that we’re both fans of today, that creates a common ground.”
Bask, whose family fled Czechoslovakia as political exiles in 1984, draws from the iconic, subversive imagery of propaganda and advertising. He describes his adoptive culture as “a fascinating juggernaut. The masses get swayed with whatever’s popular. This regime is about control. I see a lot of similarity between this and where I came from.”
Tes One, a self-taught artist and graphic designer, attributes their collaborative success to their friendship.
“Bask and I grew up together doing graffiti art. We’ve been friends for a while, and that’s first and foremost. We have this respect for what each other does; that’s how we can work together even though our styles are so different. Bask has a lot of wit and satirical undertones. I work with contrasts – nature/technology, fine art/graphic design. But we’re pretty happy with the fact that we can work together, and it fits.”
Bask and Tes One’s Painted Room balances their art and histories, both individually and together.
The image in the background is a collage of their visions for the room – to depict the commonalities of life on the road, hotels and motels, and the walks of life that we all encounter in our travels. While keeping the theme at the forefront, strong characteristics of both of their work co-exist through out the installation, down to the doorstop.
“We feel that it represents both of us quite well,” Tes One says. “It’s not one of us more then the other. We were given the opportunity to do this collaboration, and we completed it to our satisfaction. We’re happy that we were able to execute it.”
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